Parvez Rasool eyeing India berth

Pune, May 10 (IANS) Having made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut against Kolkata Knight Riders, Pune Warriors all-rounder Parvez Rasool is already eyeing a berth in the Indian national squad.

Rasool Thursday became the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the IPL, bowling four overs for 23 runs and taking Jacques Kallis's wicket.

"Now my goal is to ensure I play well in every match I get to play. I want to do well for the team and for myself. I hope I play well enough to play for India some day," Rasool told IPLT20.com.

The all-rounder said his debut was the "proudest day" of his life even though the team ended up on the losing side.

"Yes, this is the proudest day of my life. And the whole of Jammu and Kashmir was watching today's match and I am proud of that. I would like to dedicate my debut performance to the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir and all the well-wishers all around India," he said.

"I feel really great today. First of all, thanks to almighty Allah, I have made it this far. It felt really nice to get an opportunity in the IPL and be able to perform at this level."

Speaking about taking Kallis's wicket, he said: "Jacques Kallis is definitely a legend; the best all-rounder in cricket. So, it felt really good to get his wicket. After that, I also got a caught behind shout, but unfortunately my appeal was turned down by the umpire. But that happens sometimes. However, Kallis's wicket was something truly special for me.

Rasool said he was nervous initially but was given some key tips by former Pune captain Yuvraj Singh, which helped him settle down.

"The first couple of balls I was nervous. Then Yuvi Paaji (Yuvraj Singh) came over to me and helped me settle down," he said.